Escapade

I'm on another moodswing.  Those who know me well will not be surprised.  Those who do not know me (but read this blog) will not be surprised either.  What can I say?  I'm me.  I have a new label for this roller coaster ride:  adventure...or maybe voyage...a journey?  But, of course. 

"I must learn to love the fool in me--the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool." -- Theodore I. Rubin, MD

escapade [ˈɛskəˌpeɪd ˌɛskəˈpeɪd]  1. a wild or exciting adventure, esp one that is mischievous,  2. any lighthearted or carefree episode; romp.  Escapade.  I think that pretty well explains my momentary disposition...and I like it.  A lot.

Enough about me.  I'd rather talk about my Baby Lane, who really isn't a baby any longer at all.  She's a 4 year-old adult.  It was nice to see the weekend through her eyes. 

"Most of us had moments in childhood when we touched the divine presence.  We did not think it extraordinary because it wasn't; it was just a beautiful moment filled with love.  In those simple moments our hearts were alive, and we saw the poignant beauty of life vividly with wonder and appreciation." 
~David McArthur, Bruce McArthur, The Intelligent Heart

Sunday evening involved a bit of "backroad therapy," a serene way in which to collect my thoughts and find myself ~ again ~ along the way.  My girls have all been gifted with an appreciation for the outdoors.  To them, backroad therapy always involves a bit of "deer shopping."  This phrase is their own creation.  Make of it what you will.  For me, it is merely an appreciation of some amazingly beautiful, four-legged friends.  But then, I'm the only girl in the house that doesn't have good aim with a gun. 

This time the deer count was down.  A week or so ago we saw 73 in the fields.  Sunday, we saw a mere 12.  A change in weather was the culprit, and of course the soybeans aren't as provocative as they will be in a few short weeks.  We also saw a rafter of wild turkeys just beside us, along the road.  The gobbler and hen were escorting eight or so poults further into the field.  This was a first for me...I had never before seen a complete turkey "family" quite like this.  It was definitely worth stopping awhile, just to watch.  If you look closely, you can see their heads dotted (but camouflaged well) among the dried wildflowers.

Maybe now you can begin to understand the term backroad therapy.  It is extremely difficult to focus on yourself when there is so much other busy-ness around.  And with Lane in tow, there are many, many points to ponder...like whether or not the big, beautiful owl perched atop the tree actually flew there ~ or used a ladder to climb up to his lookout instead (a notion she found hilarious, even though the idea was her suggestion).  Sometimes the questions are a bit more serious, like "Why is the hawk flying with that rabbit in its claws?"  First, Lane, the word is talons...and second, he's hungry.  Hmmm.  Oh well.  No one said education must always be appetizing (unless as in this case, of course, you're the hawk).  Fortunately, the hundreds of bluebirds flying in and out of the trees provided a pleasant diversion. 

And then...this:  Lane asked honestly why the "volcano" (or, according to her pronunciation, the "bee-cane-o") was standing out in the middle of a field.  As a teacher, her activation of schema brought forth thoughts of Piagetan cognitive theory.  On a lighter note, she is far too young to comprehend that the atoms contained therein are the most fundamental pieces of that very field.

"Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread in it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect."  ~Chief Seattle 1854

A more pleasant sight was the display of thousands upon thousands of sunflowers, seen here just at the place where earth appears to meet sky.  This acreage is the candy shop of the doves.

And before I go, I'll add a few pictures that are to be saved for future reference.  I'm collecting "settings" for the story I have yet to write.  "Man makes holy what he believes, as he makes beautiful what he loves." ~Ernst Renan

Missouri River at dusk...Home.

"May the stars carry your sadness away.  May the flowers fill your heart with beauty.  May hope forever wipe away your tears.  And above all, may silence make you strong."  ~Chief Dan George